200amp shutoff - Knife or breaker?

[tarbellb]

Residential install, exterior mount. Required by the PoCo. This will be the shutoff mounted on the building, its fed by a 200amp breaker off my 400amp metered panel.

Any reasons to choose one over the other?

Considerations:
_ it will be very visible in the backyard, looking to reduce overall size and keep it clean

_ cost is about the same

_ install is about the same

 

[BreeStephany]

If it's PGE or Pac Power, their guidelines may specifically state a "knife disconnect" and not a breaker for disconnecting means, depending on loads and purpose of the disconnecting means. Look into the language used by your utility as specific to your utility.

If its disconnect for PV, energy storage or generator backup, most utilities in Oregon specifically state a "knife disconnecting means", which means your solution will likely not be 'small', but most of the AHJ and utilities in the state could care less about paint to match your house post inspection.

 

[mm08822]

Go online with you POCO and find their residential service specs for permitted hardware. Usually very specific.

POCOs generally like knife blades as they can easily be visually confirmed.

 

[tarbellb]

This is the disconnect between the metered 400amp panel and house sub panel. Needs to be nearest to where the feeder wire enters the house. The 400a panel has a 200a breaker powering the feeder. This just needs to be a shut off.

I had the city inspector out to OK the trench and he showed me a breaker style and I mentioned a knife. He didn't object to either

I believe this is on the city side of things, because it's downstream from the meter. Poco only cares about the metered panel afaik

 

[loganb]

Knives are simpler and more obvious to inspect if something goes sideways....you already have a breaker upstream so I would go knife

 

[mm08822]

Ok, understand now what you're doing. Forget about the POCO. Your 400a cb takes care of them.

Just get a nema 3r 200a cb disco. Plenty available. Pick a name brand and shop price.

Your feeder needs to be 4 wire.

 

[sparky 1971]

I say breaker because an outdoor breaker enclosure is going to look a lot better. A Square D enclosure is about 24" tall, 8" wide and when the door is closed, it's smooth. I would guess other manufacturers are about the same. Nothing will look as nice as nothing and I would be doing my best to make it disappear.